This booklet, which aims to present some
Teachings of Lord Buddha on Peace and Human Dignity, is divided into 4 chapters.

Chapter One contains quotations on the
gist of His Preaching, His purpose in disseminating the Dharma, His attitude toward other
religions and antagonistic doctrines and His love and compassion for the world.

Chapter Two refers to quotations on his
Dhamma, his Teachings on five fundamental topics: 1. Dispute and harmony. 2. Anger and
gentleness. 3. Harmfulness and harmlessness. 4. Hatred and friendliness. 5. Killing and
respect for life.

Chapter Three deals with His community of
monks and nuns (Sangha), His preoccupation in laying a code of conduct so as to assure a
perfect harmony among its religious members, His advice to His religious disciples to live
together in perfect harmony and His rebuke when His monks did not live up to His
Teachings.

Chapter Four introduces two categories of
people, those who are prone to disputes, to quarrels, to war, and those who are inclined
to a life of perfect harmony and peace.

The first ones are those who commit evil
actions, those who are foolish and ignorant, and those who are heedless, leading an
untamed life. The second ones are those who perform meritorious bodily vocal and mental
activities, those who are wise and sage, those who know how to control themselves.

For the sake of contrast, each category of
people and their counterpart will be dealt with side by side. Thus, Section 1 deals with
evil people and good people. Section 2 refers to foolish people and wise people. Section 3
contrasts untamed people with those who know how to control themselves.

Furthermore, in each chapter and section,
first come some general comments of the editor, then the quotations themselves in 3
languages: Pali for those who are interested in the original text and Paali language,
English for the English public and Vietnamese for the Vietnamese people.

As mentioned earlier, the quotations are
far from exhaustive and many valuable techings may be missing. The editor deems it
necessary to state that his booklet is nothing but a humble dedication to the Teachings of
Lord Buddha and a modest contribution to the Dhamma propagation in our world today.

"O Saariputta, those who speak
rightly will speak like this: "A living being, not affected by delusion, is born into
the world for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion
for the world, for the interest, for the welfare, for the happiness of the deities and
human beings". They would speak rightly of me as follows: "A living being, not
affected by delusion, is born into the world for the welfare of the many, for the
happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the interest, for the welfare,
for the happiness of the deities and of human beings".

"You are all-knowing!
You preach the Dhamma,
Out of compassion for all living beings.
You have unveiled the curtain;
Endowed with eyes that see all round.
Without impurities,
You outshine the whole world!".

Lord Buddha has pointed out to us that
sense desires are the root-causes of quarrels, contentions, disputes and wars.

"Another root cause of quarrels and
disputes is this distinction between oneself and others, considering them to be equal, or
superior or inferior to oneself.

One way to appease all quarrels is the
knowledge that "here in this quarrel, we perish".

There is this truly awkward position,
pointed out by Lord Buddha in the case of a person who has come to abuse those who do not
abuse, who has come to revile those who do not revile, who has come to scold those who do
not scold. All these abuses will naturally return to the owner who has proffered them,
just as food offered but not accepted will come back to the owner.

Lord Buddha's attitude toward quarrels and
disputes is very clear. He has no quarrel with the world. His preaching of the Dhamma has
the only purpose to show the way to put an end to suffering. He never claims that his
Dhamma is the only truth, everything else is false. He just makes it clear to every one to
come, to see and to judge by oneself".

The best way to avoid quarrels and
disputes, Lord Buddha advises, is not to uphold any fancy perceptions or false views
likely to arouse disputes. Even in case that these fancy perceptions or wrong views do
arise, the best way to deal with them is not to take delight in them, not to welcome them,
not to take hold of them. Such an attitude will put an end to quarrels, disputes, wars and
all demeritorious dhammaa (actions).

Any war, if breaking out, will bring in
its trails, untold suffering. Victory engenders hatred and defeat brings up suffering. So
the best way is not to resort to wars to solve disputes, but to explore all peaceful means
to settle differences and conflicts.

So the Sages who are homeless will not
make new ties everywhere they go. They cut off any quarrel likely to happen to anybody.

"Again O Bhikkhus, with sense desires
as cause, with sense desires as motives, kings are fighting with kings, khattiyaa are
fighting with khattiyaa, braahmanas are fighting with braahmanas, householders are
fighting with householders, mother is fighting with son, son is fighting with mother,
father is fighting with brother, brother is fighting with sister, sister is fighting with
brother, friend is fighting with friend. When they engage themselves in fighting, in
quarrels, in disputes, they attack each other with hands, they attack each other with
stones, they attack each other with sticks, they attack each other with swords. Thus they
are going to death, or to suffering like death".

"Again O Bhikkhus, with sense desires
as causes, with sense desires as motives, they take hold of spears, they take hold of
shields, they wear bows and arrows. They arrange themselves in two lines, and arrows are
thrown at each other, knives are thrown at each other, swords are slashed at each other.
They pierce each other with arrows, they slash each other with knives, they cut each other
heads with swords. Thus here, they come to death or to suffering like death".

"He who builds up such imaginations,
He is equal, he is superior, he is inferior to me.
Such imaginations will lead to quarrels!
He who is unshaken by these three fancies,
To him, there will be no equality, no superiority".

"Angry and displeased, braahmana
Akkosaka-bhaaradvaaja went to The Enlightened One, and there abused and reviled the
Enlightened One in harsh and rude words. Being thus spoken, the Enlightened One said to
braahmana Akkosaka-bhaaradvaaja: "What do you think, Braahmana? Do your friends and
acquaintances, do your blood relatives and guests pay a visit to you?" - "Yes,
venerable Gotama, sometimes, friends and acquaintances, blood relatives and guests pay me
a visit" - "What do you think, O braahmana? Do you offer them food to chew, to
eat and to taste?" - "Venerable Gotama, sometimes I offer them food to chew, to
eat and to taste". - "O braahmana, if they do not accept them, to whom these
foods come back?" - "Venerable Gotama, if they do not accept them, these foods
come back to us". - "In the same way, O braahmana! you have abused us who do not
abuse. You have reviled us who do not revile. You have scolded us who do not scold. We do
not accept them from you, so they are all for you, O braahmana, they are all for you, O
braahmana. He who abuses back when abused, who reviles back when reviled, who scolds back
when scolded, O braahmana, this is called eating them together and sharing them together.
We do not eat them with you. We do not share them with you. So they are all for you, O
braahmana! They are all for you, O braahmana!".

"According to my Teachings, among the
worlds of the Devas, of the Maaras and of the Brahmaa, with crowds of recluses and
Braahmanas, deities and human beings, there will be no quarrel whatsoever with anyone in
the world".

"O Bhikkhu, owing to whatever cause
and reason, a number of fancy perceptions take hold of a person. If here there will be no
delight in, no welcome to, no taking hold of, then this is the eradication of latent
tendency of lust, the eradication of latent tendency of anger, the eradication of latent
tendency of view, the eradication of latent tendency of doubt, the eradication of latent
tendency of pride, the eradication of latent tendency of craving for existence, the
eradication of latent tendency of ignorance, the eradication of taking hold of weapons,
swords, quarrels, contentions, disputes, the eradication of words of discord, of lies.
Here, these wicked, unwholesome dhammaa vanish without remainder".

"The sage leaves home,
He wanders, homeless.
With folk in the village
He has no intimacies.
Empty of sense desires,
Devoid of any expectations.
He wages no verbal quarrel with any one!".

SECTION 2.2 : ANGER AND GENTLENESS

Anger acts like a tight screw-driver that
grips at anybody likely to fall under its sway and is considered a destroyer of mankind.

So the best way is not to speak harsh
words to anyone, because harsh words will attract vindicative words, and even bodily
punishments.

Even Sakka, king of Deva, advises the
deities not to become angry, because anger crushes down a wicked man, as a moutain crushes
a man.

So the wise ones subdue anger with no
anger.

Any one worthy of the name of Braahmana
should be friendly among the enemies, and good tempered among the angry.

Whoever is able to check his rising anger
is worthy of the name of a charioteer, while other people who are not able to do so, are
merely rein-holders.

Sakka, king of Devas advises the deities
not to allow anger to overcome them, not to raise anger against anger, because without
anger, no harm will be done to oneself, to other, to both.

A sage who has completely cut off his
anger is called a truly good natured man.

A person who does not give vent to his
anger, is truly a peaceful man. Worse of the two is the man who, being abused, abuses
back. He is both victorious, over himself and over others, if he refrains from abusing
back.

O Bhikkhus, in former times, Sakka, king
of deities, in the Hall of Sudhamma, in order to appease the deities of the Thirty-three
gods, at that time spoke these verses:

"Do not allow anger to overcome you!
Do not allow friendship to dwindle!
Scold not what is not worth scolding.
Speak not words that divide and separate!
Anger crushes down the wicked man,
Like a mountain that crushes a man".

"O Bhikkhus, in former times, in
order to appease the deities of the Thirty three gods, in the Hall of Sudhamma, Sakka,
king of the deities, spoke this verse:

"Do not allow anger to overcome you:
Do not allow anger to raise against anger.
Without anger, no harm will be done!
Such a life is lived by the Ariyas.
Anger crushes down the wicked people,
Like a mountain that crushes a man".

"Those who have no anger, whence does
anger come. He who lives with restraint, with right livelihood, is free through right
knowledge. If he lives such a life, his life is truly peaceful. Worse of the two is he
who, being abused, abuses back. Those who are abused and do not return the abuses will be
both victorious, victorious over themselves, and victorious over others. They will find
happiness for themselves and for others, too. And those who abuse will understand, and
their anger will be appeased gradually".

SECTION 2.3: HARMFULNESS AND HARMLESSNESS

To harm the harmless is like to throw fine
dust against the wind with the result that one has to suffer the consequences of one's
actions.

Lord Buddha in His survey over the world,
clearly states that all living beings hold their own self dearest. So if one loves his own
self, should not do harm to the self of others.

Everyone yearns for happiness. To harm
others so as to secure one's own happiness is totally inappropriate. Not to harm others is
the most appropriate way to find one's own happiness.

To Lord Buddha, only he who does not harm
anybody, is truly named "a harmless One".

The Sages, the wise ones do not harm any
living beings. Their actions, bodily, vocal or mental, are wholly harmless. That is why
they deserve to be called the Sages.

"Thinking of his own benefits, he
does harm to others.
When others do harm to him in return,
Being harmed, he harms others.
Such is what a fool thinks,
When his wicked actions do not mature.
But when his actions mature,
The foolish one will suffer.
A killer, you will get killed,
A victor, you will get a victor over you.
A reviler, you will get reviled
An annoyer, you will get annoyed!
Thus by the evolution of actions,
Being harmed you will harm others".

"Without touch, there is no contact.
With touch, there will be contact.
When you harm the harmless one,
There will be touch, there will be contact.
He who harms the harmless one,
One who is pure, with no impurities,
The foolish one will reap his wicked actions,
Like fine dust thrown against the wind".

"My mind wanders in every direction
in this world. But I can not find anyone who is dearer than one own self. If in everybody
the self is so dear, so cherished, those who have loved themselves should not do harm to
the self of others".

Braahmana Ahimsaka Bhaaradvaaja said to
the Blessed One: "Venerable Gotama, I am named the Harmless One (Ahimsaka). O Gotama!
I am named the Harmless One (Ahimsaka)". The Buddha replied to the braahmana with
these verses:

"Your action should be in accordance
with your name.
You should be harmless to everybody.
He who does not harm anybody through body, speech and mind,
He who dooes not harm any living being
Will be truly a Harmless One".

" ... Na tena ariyo hoti,
Yena paa.naani hi"msati;
Ahi"msaa sabbapaa.naana"m.
Ariyo'ti pavuccati ... ". (Dhp. 270)
"He is not a Saint (ariya) if he still does harm to living beings. Being harmless
to all sentient beings, He is called a Saint (ariya)".

"The Sages do not harm anybody,
They are restrained in their bodily activities.
They go to the deathless state,
Going there they have no sorrow".

SECTION 2.4: HATRED AND FRIENDLINESS

Lord Buddha makes it very clear that, with
a heart filled with hatred and animosity, such a man cannot understand well and speak
well. A person who nurtures his displeasure and animosity cannot appease his hatred. With
mindfulness alone, hatred cannot be appeased. Only with a mind, day and night, delighted
in harmlessness and with loving kindness towards all creatures, in him hatred cannot be
found.

It is an eternal Law that decrees that
hatred cannot be ceased by hatred. But by loving kindness alone, can hatred be appeased.
So happy will be our life, when we live without hatred among the hatred.

A person who knows how to subdue himself
so that there will be no hatred, no enmity, such a person will reach Nibbaana, because in
Nibbaana, there will be no hatred. Lord Buddha, who has compassion for all living beings,
will not be delighted in hatred, so He will do whatever he can in order to appease and put
an end to all animosity and hatred in this world.

"O Paccanėka, with your mind
corrupted and with your heart full of animosity, how I can find in you good knowledge and
good speech? He who subdues his animosity, his displeasure of heart, he who gives up
enmity, truly will know well and speak well".

"Always mindful, good luck is here.
With mindfulness, happiness increases.
With mindfulness, a better to-morrow will come,
And hatred will be released.

(Lord Buddha):
Always mindful, good luck is here.
With mindfulness, happiness increases:
With mindfulness, a better to-morrow will come.
But hatred will not be released.
To him, wholly day and night,
With mind delighted in harmlessness,
With loving kindness towards all creatures,
In him, no hatred will be found".

"If you subdue yourself
Like a cracked gong,
You have already reached Nibbaana.
In you, there will be no anger, no hatred".

SECTION 2.5: KILLING AND RESPECT FOR LIFE

Lord Buddha has a respect for life, any
life, even the life of an insect and of a plant. He sets Himself as example, not to throw
remaining food on green vegetation or in the water where there are small insects. He
advises His disciples not to kill living beings to offer food to Him and to His disciples,
because in doing so, they store up much demerit.

He makes it very clear that, killing
living beings will lead to hell, to the animal kingdom and to the world of the petas. And
the lightest evil result to be obtained is to be born as human being, but with very short
life. Moreover, killing living beings will bring up fear and hatred in the present, in the
future, and pain and suffering in mind.

So Lord Buddha advises us not to kill,
because all sentient beings tremble at the stick, to all life is dear. The first precept
to be undertaken by a layman is this respect for life, this refrain from killing living
beings. And a braahmana worthy of his name, a sage should be one that practises this
respect for life, wholly and completely.

"And there is this remaining food of
mine that should be thrown away. If you want, please eat. If you do not want to eat, I
shall throw it in a place where there is no green grass or I shall sink it down in the
water where there are no insects".

"O Jėvaka, if anybody for Lord
Buddha's sake or for the sake of Lord Buddha's disciples, kills living beings, he will
store up much demerit, owing to five causes. When he speaks thus: "Go and bring this
animal here", this is the first cause, owing to which he stores up much demerit. This
animal, being led to dragged by the neck, suffers pains and sorrow, this is the second
cause owing to which he stores up much demerit. When he speaks thus: "Go and kill
this animal", this is the third cause, owing to which he stores up much demerit. When
the animal is being killed and suffers pains and sorrow, this is the fourth cause owing to
which he stores up much demerit. When this man offers food to the Tathaagata or to the
Tathaagata's disciples, not in accordance with the Dhamma, this is the fifth cause, owing
to which he stores up much demerit. O Jėvaka, if anybody for Lord Buddha's sake, or for
the sake of Lord Buddha's disciples kills living beings, he will store up much
demerit".

"O Bhikkhus, killing beings, if
performed, if trained to do so, if increased to the full, will lead to hell, to animal
kingdom, to the world of the petas. The lightest evil result of killing living beings is
to be born as human being but with very short life".

"O Jėvaka, those who speak thus:
"For the sake of recluse Gotama, people kill living beings. And recluse Gotama,
although he knows this, eats such meat that is being killed for his own sake, that is
being prepared for his own sake", such people do not speak my words correctly. They
misinterpret me. O Jėvaka, I declare that in three circumstances, meat is not allowed to
be eaten: when seen, heard, and suspected. O Jėvaka, I declare that in three
circumstances, meat is allowed to be eaten: Not to be seen, not to be heard, not to be
suspected. O Jėvaka, I declare that in three circumstances, meat is allowed to be
eaten".

"O householder, killing living
beings, due to killing living beings, fear and hatred arise in the present, fear and
hatred will arise in the future, thereby bringing up pain and suffering in mind. Refrain
from killing living beings, fear and hatred do not arise in the present, will not arise in
the future, there by not bringing up pain and suffering in mind. Those who refrain from
killing living beings will calm down this fear and hatred".

"Here, O Bhikkhus, the ariyan
disciple thinks as follows: Up to the end of his life, the Arahant refrains from killing
living beings, gives up killing, lays aside stick, lays aside sword, has shame, endowed
with loving kindness, living with consideration toward the happiness of all living beings
and of all creatures. Today, this night and this day, I also refrain from killing living
beings, give up killing, lay aside stick, lay aside sword, have shame, endowed with loving
kindness, living with consideration toward the happiness of all living beings and of all
creatures, In this matter, I follow the example of the Arahant. I shall observe the day of
the Uposatha".

"Here, O Bhikkhus, the ariyan
disciple does not kill living beings, gives up killing. O Bhikkhus, the Ariyan disciple
who gives up killing, gives no fear to innumerable living beings, give no hatred to
innumerable living beings, give harmlessness to innumerable living beings. Having given no
fear, no hatred and harmlessness to innumerable living beings, the Ariyan disciple has his
share in innumerable fearlessness, in no hatred and in harmlessness. O Bhikkhus, this is
first class charity (donation), great charity, timeless charity that is not despised by
recluses and braahmanas".

When Lord Buddha sets up his Sangha for
the first time, His first preoccupation is to lay down such a code of conduct so as to
assure a perfect harmony among His religious members. So He teaches six Dhammas to be
remembered or the six Harmonies. He advises His religious disciple to live together in
perfect harmony, mixing with each other like water and milk, looking at each other with
sympathetic eyes. When the monks of Kosambi quarelled with each other, His upbraidings
were severe and straight forward.

Sakka, king of the deities, has great
respect for the Sangha, because the Sangha personify those who are not fighters among the
fighters, those who are peaceful when others are self-armed. He considers them a double
winner, a victor over themselves and a victor over others, those who, being scolded, do
not scold back.

Lord Buddha advises the monks to make this
well-expounded Dhamma-Vinaya (Law and Discipline) shine with their forbearance and
gentleness, and lead a life serene and calm, a life of happiness when their mind has
attained peace over themselves and over the world.

The Blessed One spoke thus to the
Bhikkhus: "O Bhikkhus, there are six Dhammas that should be remembered, building up
mutual love, mutual respect, leading to harmony, to no quarrel, to mutual understanding,
to common aspiration. What are the six? Here O Bhikkhus, the monk perfroms his bodily
activities imbued with love towards his religious companions, in public as well as in
private. This Dhamma should be remembered, building up mutual love, mutual respect,
leading to harmony, to no quarrel, to mutual understanding, to common aspiration. Again O
Bhikkhus, the monk performs his vocal activities... his mental activities imbued with love
towards his religious companions in public as well as in private. This Dhamma should be
remembered... (as above) to common aspiration. Again O Bhikkhus, anything that is accepted
according to Dhamma, lawfully, even offerings deposited in the begging bowl, the monk
should not be the one who does not share them, he should share them with his virtuous
religious companions. This Dhamma should be remembered... (as above)... to common
aspiration. Again O Bhikkhus, as to monastic rules, which are unbroken, unspoilt,
unsullied, which have no impurities, leading to emancipation, praised by the wise, which
are not to be grasped at, leading to concentration, the monk should live in keeping with
these rules along with his religious companions, in public as well as in private. This
Dhamma should be remembered... (as above)... to common aspiration. Again O Bhikkhus, as to
the views which belong to the Noble Ones, leading upwards, helping those who practise
them, putting an end to suffering, the monk should uphold these views along with his
religious companions, in public as well as in private. This Dhamma should be remembered,
building up mutual love, mutual respect, leading to harmony, to no quarrel, to mutual
understanding, to common aspiration. O Bhikkhus, these six Dhamma should be remembered,
building up mutual love, mutual respect, leading to harmony, to no quarrel, to mutual
understanding, to common aspiration.

"O Anuruddhaa, how all of you have
lived happily in harmony with each other, like milk mixed with water, looking at each
other with sympathetic eyes!" - "O Blessed One, here we have heard:
"Indeed, it is a great advantage to me! Indeed it is very beneficient to me, when I
could live together with such brahma-farers. O Blessed One, that is why toward such
brahma-farers, I set up bodily activities imbued with love, in front of them and behind
them. I set up vocal activities... I set up mental activities imbued with love, in front
of them and behind them. That is why I have such a thinking: "I should give up my own
mind and live in accordance with their mind". I give up my own mind and live in
accordance with their mind. Although we have different bodies, it seems as if we have the
same mind".

"O Bhikkhus, what do you think? When
you are living quarrelling with each other, competing, disputing, arguing with each other,
harming each other with the weapons of the tongue, during these times, do you behave
towards your religious companions with bodily activities imbued with love, with vocal
activities imbued with love, with mental activities imbued with love in public as well as
in private?" - "No, O Blessed One!" - "Thus O Bhikkhus, you have
acknowledged that when you are living quarrelling with each other, competing, disputing,
arguing with each other, harming each other with the weapons of the tongue, during these
times you behave towards your religious companions, with bodily activities not imbued with
love, with vocal activities not imbued with love, with mental activities not imbued with
love in public as well as in private. Thus O Ignorant Ones, what do you know, what do you
see that you are living quarrelling with each other, competing, disputing, arguing with
each other, harming each other with the weapons of the tongue. You do not try to
understand each other, to accept understanding, you do not try to make peace with each
other, to accept peace settlement. Thus, you Ignorant Ones, you will come to misfortune,
to suffering for a long time to come".

(Sakka):
"Deities are fighting with the Asuraa,
Human beings are fighting among themselves.
They are not fighters among the fighters
Peaceful while others are self-armed.
Not holders among the holders,
These, I pay homage to them ".

"Those who have powers but show
patience with the weak,
That I call forbearance supreme,
Ever being patient with the weak,
If the strength of the fool is called strength
Then, how we can say of a strong man: "He is a weakling".
The strong one protects the Dhamma,
With his refusal to use words of retort.
Worse of the two, are those who, being scolded, have scolded back.
But he who, being scolded, does not scold back,
He is a double winner,
A victor over himself,
And a victor over others ".

"Truly, he lives in happiness,
The Braahmana who is utterly extinguished,
Does not cleave to sense-desires,
Cool he is, and without germs to a new life,
All clingings are cut down,
Pains in the heart are overcome.
Serene and calm, he leads a life of happiness,
And his mind has attained peace and calmness ".

The Tathaagata, the Buddha,
Has compassion for every creature.
.....
Whoso does not accept confession,
When people speak out their faults,
With inner anger, with inclination to ill-will,
He is not free from hatred,
I have no pleasure for hatred,
So I accept your confession ".

In general, there are two classes of
people in the world, those who are inclined to quarrel, addicted to dispute, prone to war,
and those who are bent to living in harmony, happy in friendliness, and prone to peace.

In the first class , can be classified
wicked folk, ignorant people, and heedless ones. In the second class of people, are ranged
those who are good folk, wise people and heedful ones.

Lord Buddha has made a clear distinction
between wickedness and goodness and advises all his disciples not to do evil actions, to
perform good ones and to purify their own heart. He knows that it is easy to do evil
actions. To perform meritorious ones is far more difficult. But His disciples should know
how to select between evil and good, because wicked people will go to Hell and undergo
untold suffering, while good ones will go to Heaven and enjoy peaceful bliss. Moreover
good ones even from afar shine like the mountain of snow with their meritorious actions,
while bad ones are enveloped in darkness like an arrow shot in the night.

So Lord Buddha advises us not to make
friends with wicked ones, but to associate only with good friends. He points out very
clearly that if we yearn for life, we should avoid wickedness like we shun poison, because
a hand free from wound can handle poison with impunity. The dhammas of the good ones do
not decay, but go along with the good ones where meritorious actions will lead them. Good
actions will welcome the well doer who has gone from this world to the next world, just as
relatives welcome a dear one who has come back.

So the problem poses itself very clear and
definite. Wickedness and goodness are all done by oneself. Wickedness will lead to
quarrel, to dispute and to war, while goodness will lead to harmony, to friendliness and
to peace.

"Being absent a long time, a man has
returned home safe and sound.
Relatives, friends and acquaintances
welcome him home".
"In the same way, good actions will
welcome the well doer, who has gone
from this world to the next world.
Just as relatives welcome a dear one who has come back ".

"By oneself, evil deed is done.
By oneself, one is defiled.
By oneself, evil deed is not done,
By oneself, one becomes purified.
Purity and impurity are done by oneself,
No one can purify another ".

SECTION 4.2: FOOLISH PEOPLE AND WISE PEOPLE

Lord Buddha clearly sees the different
attitude of the foolish one and of the wise one toward this world. The foolish one is
attracted by, enamoured of, and becomes a slave to this world. But the wise one has no
attraction, no fancy to this world and will act as a master to this world. But His
statement that fear, distress and dangers arise to the foolish ones but not to the wise
ones, acts as a grave warning to all of us.

Then He proceeds to say that the foolish
one behaves in such a way that he becomea an enemy to himself. And when fame and name come
to him, he undergoes misfortune and distress. The wise one acts in a totally different
way. He is heedful among the heedless, fully awake among the sleepy, so he advances
forward like a swift horse, leaving behind the foolish ones. The wise one conquers Maara
and his hordes, makes his mind straight, practises meditation steadfastly, strong in
determination and perseverance and thus enjoys the bliss of Nibbaana. With his wisdom, he
outshines this world composed of the worldlings, blind and foolish. And the wise one
stands like a lotus, sweet-smelling and lovely born on a rubbish heap thrown upon a
highway. Bliss of Nibbaana and bliss of peace come to the wise ones but never to the
foolish ones.

"What kinds of fear, O Bhikkhus, that
may arise, they arise to the foolish one, but not to the wise one. What kinds of distress
that may arise, they arise to the foolish one, but not to the wise one. What kinds of
danger that may arise, they arise to the foolish one, but not to the wise-one".

"Even so, among beings of rubbish
nature,
A disciple of the Fully Enlightened One
Outshines in wisdom,
Among the worldlings who are blind and foolish".

SECTION 4.3: UNRULY PEOPLE AND SELF
CONTROLLED PEOPLE

Lord Buddha knows verry well the mind and
the heart of human beings. He knows that the foolish people indulge in heedlessness, while
the wise people protect heedfulness as precious treasure. So He advises the wise people
with right effort, heedfulness and discipline to build up an island which no flood can
overflow. Who is heedless before but afterwards heedless no more, will outshine this
world, like a moon free from clouds.

To Lord Buddha, a person who has conquered
thousand thousand people in the battlefield cannot be compared with a person who is
victorious over himself, because he is truly a supreme winner. A person who controls
himself will always behave in a self-tamed way. And a self well-tamed and restrained
becomes a worthy and reliable refuge, very difficult to obtain. A person who knows how to
sit alone, to sleep alone, to walk alone, to subdue oneself alone will take delight in
living in deep forests. Such a person is a trustworthy teacher because being well tamed
himself, he then instructs others accordingly. So Lord Buddha advises the well tamed
people to control themselves. Only the well tamed people, the heedful people, know the way
to stop contentions, quarrels and disputes and how to live in harmony, in friendliness and
in peace.